1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for punching or drilling of a plurality of elongate, slanting bores or holes in a substantially solid slab made of a relatively rigid, penetrable material such as foamed plastic. The slab of material is then used in a marketing device for displaying and selling stemmed items such as candy suckers, wherein the stems of the items are inserted into the elongate bores or holes in the slab of material.
2. State of the Art
Display stands and racks for merchandising stemmed article are quite common. Foamed plastic materials have been used in such displays or racks, with the stems of the articles being pushed into the foamed plastic material. It has been found highly advantageous to provide predrilled bores or holes in the foamed plastic material to facilitate the insertion of the stems of the articles to be carried thereby. A device capable of predrilling a plurality of bores or holes in the foamed plastic material would also be highly advantageous. The device should be capable of repeatedly receiving successive blanks of foamed plastic material and of simultaneously drilling a plurality of elongate bores or holes in each of the successive blanks of foamed plastic material received therein.
A patent search developed only two previous U.S. patents which relate even remotely to machines for punching or drilling a plurality of bores or holes in a blank. These patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 676,781 and 676,782, were both issued on June 18, 1901 to E. B. Stimpson. The Stimpson patents disclose machines for bevel cutting the edges of leather blanks and oblique punching of holes in leather blanks, wherein the leather blanks are then to be used as uppers in shoes.
3. Objectives
A principal objective of the invention is to provide novel apparatus for simultaneously creating a plurality of elongate, linear bores or holes in a substantially solid slab made of a relatively rigid, penetrable material, such as foamed plastics.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide such novel apparatus which is capable of repeatedly receiving a blank or slab of foamed plastic material, drilling a plurality of elongate bores or holes simultaneously in the blank of foamed plastic material, and ejecting the blank of material having the bores or holes formed therein.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide such novel apparatus which is capable of slant punching or drilling a plurality of bores or holes in a blank or slab of foamed plastic material, wherein the blank or slab containing the bores or holes is used for displaying and marketing of stemmed items such as candy suckers, cut and artificial flowers, screw drivers, tobacco pipes, pencils, pens and similar items.